What difference – at this point, what difference does it make?

[SlowThought]

Lassie Come Home -- Episode 7

I forswear the upgrade (from 0.25, even) until all Kerbals come home.

Walter Kronkite: Welcome, again, viewers, to live coverage of KSS Redemption as it approaches Laythe. Let's listen now (actually let's listen several minutes in the past, given the distance to Jool) to the conversation between our brave Kerbonauts...

Teddorf: Course correction complete. Approaching Laythe aerobrake. Hey, Shepner, did you know we're coming in retrograde?

Shepner: Clockwise, counter-clockwise, what's it to me? You guys didn't even give me a window!

Walter: Joining me is Kris Kolumbus, chief navigator of the Redemption mission. Kris, what is the significance of a retrograde orbit?

Kris: Well, Walter, if one is prograde, one is going with the rotation of the central body, else one is going against it.

Walter: Yes, that sounds perfectly boring Kris, thank you.

Kris: But the delta V between the two orbits amounts to twice the rotational velocity of the central body at the surface, which can be signifi...

Walter: We now return to the audio feed from Laythe.

Teddorf: Over 8000 m/s, higher than planned. G forces building. You ok back there, Jerski?

Jerski: The lander's A-OK, Teddorf. Just get me into a reasonable orbit, and I'll get to Songel and Laythe IF (heh, One-Eff, IF, ironic, eh?).

Shepner: I'm fine.

Teddorf: Who cares, Mr. Retrograde?

Teddorf: Orbit achieved. Jerski, go ahead and top off your tanks and undock.

Jerski: Ascension is undocked, deorbit burn plotted. The retrograde orbit seems to have tumbled MechJeb's gyros. I'm going in manually.

Jerski: Looks like this is going to be pretty good.

Jerski: Good chutes. I see One-Eff!

Songel: I'm seeing things!

Jerski: You're not seeing things, buddy, that's your ride home!

Jerski: Songel's on board, and we're ready to lift!

Kris: Stand by, Ascension. Control has a concern. Do NOT lift off!

Walter: What's the matter, Kris?

Kris: It's as I feared, Walter. The retrograde approach cost over 100 m/s in required delta V, given perfect pilot technique. Since (Kris covers his microphone and whispers) MechJeb can't be relied on, retrograde, and Jerski is no MechJeb (uncovering microphone) the actual delta V loss was MUCH higher. No matter how many times I hit F9, I can't see a way to get Ascension into orbit, given its current fuel load.

Jerski: Control, part of that was unreadable, but I understand that Ascension is stranded?

Songel: You did bring snacks, didn't you?

Kris: I'm sorry, Ascension, but you are correct. I'm afraid Redemption must make another round trip to Jool.

Jerski: Shepner, does retrograde make a difference now? It sure as !@#% does to ME!

Shepner: Alright, alright, I screwed up. Can I get a window seat on the way back?

Kris: Redemption, I'm uploading your return trajectory. You're going to use Tylo to boost you out of Jool orbit. We had been counting on the leftover fuel from Ascension, but...

Shepner: I get it!

Teddorf: Upload recieved, Redemption go for Laythe escape.

Teddorf: Looks like your numbers are good, Kris. Approaching Tylo.

Kris: KSC tracking confirms, Teddorf. Looking Good.

Shepner: I'm not getting a window seat, am I?

Teddorf: No.

Jerski: Hell, no.

Songel: Tell me you brought snacks.

Walter: (Ahem) well, these are Kerbonauts, not saints, and just Kerbals, after all. Thank you for joining us at the media center in KSC for continuing coverage of KSS Redemption's mission to recover all Kerbonauts before the end of the universe (v 0.25).